Use of reboxetine to treat narcolepsy

Abstract

Described herein are methods of treating narcolepsy with cataplexy, comprising administering reboxetine (including esreboxetine) to a human being in need thereof. Reboxetine (including esreboxetine) may also be used in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of narcolepsy with cataplexy. Also disclosed herein are kits comprising a pharmaceutical composition comprising reboxetine (including esreboxetine) and instructions to use the pharmaceutical composition to treat narcolepsy with cataplexy in a human being.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of reducing daytime sleepiness, comprising administering 8 mg to 10 mg of reboxetine daily for at least two weeks to a human being in need thereof, wherein the human being is experiencing narcolepsy with cataplexy, wherein during the second week that reboxetine is administered, the human being experiences less daytime sleepiness than the week before the human being first received reboxetine, as determined by the human being's Epworth Sleepiness Scale scores. 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the human being is selected for having experienced at least 7 cataplexy attacks in the week before the human being first received reboxetine. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein reboxetine is administered once a day. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein reboxetine is administered in a dosage form further containing a polymer. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein reboxetine is administered in a dosage form further containing a binder. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein reboxetine is administered in a dosage form further containing a lubricant. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein reboxetine is administered in a dosage form further containing a diluent. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein reboxetine is administered in a dosage form further containing a disintegrant. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein  4  mg of the reboxetine is administered twice a day to the human being for a first week. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein 4 mg of the reboxetine is administered to the human being in the morning and 4 mg of the reboxetine is administered to the human being in the afternoon for a second week. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein  6  mg of the reboxetine is administered to the human being in the morning and 4 mg of the reboxetine is administered to the human being in the afternoon for a first week. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein  6  mg of the reboxetine is administered to the human being in the morning and 4 mg of the reboxetine is administered to the human being in the afternoon for a second week. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein  5  mg of the reboxetine is administered to the human being in the morning and 5 mg of the reboxetine is administered to the human being in the afternoon for a first week. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein  5  mg of the reboxetine is administered to the human being in the morning and 5 mg of the reboxetine is administered to the human being in the afternoon for a second week.